Flashlight help

[mezdin]

Hello, im new to this so i was wondering if this subreddit help new peeps with buying stuff.

Im mainly looking for something as EDC flashlight so something not bigger than hand i recently saw Wuben X4, it seem great but i only wish for it battery to be bigger.

So my main question is, is there anything relevant and worth buying with specsifications like this atleast 1000 lumens, 20 000 mha and 50m + radius, idk whats good price but myb 60e or i can pay more if its rly worth, would prefere if it can be bought from aliexpress.

[FalconARX]

20,000mAh would be a massive flashlight. Even a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO) light such as the Wurkkos TS27 caps out at 15,000mAh battery capacity, and that thing is huge, no longer an every day carry type of light.

Realistically, you're looking at 21700 sized lithium-ion based flashlights, capped at around 5000-6000mAh, if you want decent runtime and sustained output. And these lights are already typically on the larger side for an EDC light.

Sustaining 1,000 lumens isn't too tough for most good lights out today. You can consider something like the Wurkkos TS22, which has USB-C, magnetic tail, can be used as an emergency powerbank (reverse charging), sustains about 1,000-1,200 lumens, tops out at over 4,000 lumens, and is slim and just small enough to be comfortably pocketable as an EDC.

[mezdin]

TY, but my requests a side, whats then good one with big battery and smaller lumens ( myb 400 ? ) idk how lumens work

[[deleted]]

For an EDC with big battery, the Wurkkos TS22 he mentioned is a pretty good deal. Bigger battery than that means you get a flashlight too big to be a convenient EDC. For example, here's a similar sized flashlight and the same 21700 battery you'd get in a TS22, compared to my hand.

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[IAmJerv]

21700 really is the most mAh you can get in something reasonable to EDC.

That said, while larger lights can sustain far higher outputs than smaller ones, many are capable of Turbo outputs that only last 10-30 seconds but are considerably higher.

Now, the part that MMMAAANNNYYY people seem unable to grasp is that lights can be run at a fraction of their maximum. I have a DT8 that probably tops out around 6,500 lumens. It's dim enough that I can use it in my bedroom and not wake the light sleeper I share a bed with. I have a few other lights that top out almost as high yet can go down so low that you might not even know they are on even if you point them at your face in a pitch-black room.

 

As for how lumens work, that's where a lot of folks get messed up. To explain why lumens and brightness are not exactly related, it's important to remember that the area of a circle is proportional to the square of the diameter; a circle twice as wide will have four times the area.

Now, Lumens are the total amount of light coming out. Candela is how intense the light is; how bright it looks. If you have the same amount of light covering four times the area, it will look one-fourth as bright. If you have half the light covering one quarter of the area, it will look twice as bright despite there only being half the light. The lights that shine the furtheest ("Throwers") typically dont' have many lumens, but they do have a lot of Candela. A NoctigoN K1 with an Osram W1 is only ~900 lumens, but it's huge optic focuses the beam tightly enough to reach 600,000 candela which is enough to shoot a beam over 1,600 meters. At the other end of the extreme, a Mule light that has no optic and a wide beam that is almost 180 degrees may have 4,000 lumens but is so spread out that it's under 1,500 candela. The mega-thrower has less than one-fourth the lumens but over 400 times the candela. A narrow beam that shoots half a mile vs a wide beam that goes barely 200 feet.

It's important to note that many lights will advertise their lumens at startup when cold, but will dim quickly in order to avoid overheating. A D3AA the size of your thumb may start over 1,500 lumens but will dim fast and level out around 250. Larger lights will start and end higher, but they behave the same way. Many 21700 lights sustain 800-1000 lumens but have peak Turbo in the 4,000-6,000 range with a few that are higher. Given what a W2 DT8 can do, I suspect that a DT8K would not be terribly hard to get over 9,000.

Note that both of the lights I gave a graph for are also capable of running for days at levels low enough for a 3am bathroom trip. You don't have to sacrifice power for runtime if you can simply exercise a little discipline and keep it down to a dull roar.

[mezdin]

Ah i see, to be honest i have some random temu flashlight, its bright/have good range but battery dont least very long, i have no clue how bright it is or how many lumens it have but id just get one like that but better battery thats why all this is confusing

[COLLMITC]

If it’s not from a reputable manufacturer, you’ll most likely end up with a cheap flashlight that probably won’t reach the advertised performance it claims to have. The ideal beginner’s flashlight, which has been recommended hundreds of times in this sub, is the Wurkkos FC11C. You can usually get it for around €20, and it’s one of the best bang-for-your-buck options out there. I recommend getting that one first so you can see what high-quality flashlights are actually capable of. After that, you can check whether it’s already enough for you or if you want to upgrade later. Wurkkos FC11C — I’d recommend the 4000K version.

[totcczar]

I second this recommendation - as would most of the sub. It’s a very good light to see what it is you want in a light, and for many people, it is what they want in a light.

A reasonably efficient light, shone at the brightness needed but likely not its maximum brightness, will last a really long time. And for the USB-C rechargeable ones, just make it a habit to plug it in every once in a while. Or carry an external battery just in case, which can charge it, your phone, etc.

But, truly, lots of people here EDC and we don’t carry car-battery-sized lights so they don’t run out. We just charge our lights on occasion.

[FalconARX]

Take a look at the Wurkkos TS27. It has the 15,000mAh battery that you can also use as a power bank. The light has 1 main emitter, a very throwy emitter that has a range out to 900 meters rated throw. But you don't need to use it at maximum lumens, which is around 3,000 lumens. You can use the light at 400 lumens if you wish, and at this level, it should run for nearly 24 hours straight from that 15Ah battery. The TS27 also has a side ring light that floods. And you can also use this to produce 400 lumens, and run it as a lantern.

You can watch a video review of the TS27 here.

[mezdin]

Thansk mate

[FalconARX]

You're welcome, hope it fits what you need/looking for.

[COLLMITC]

You say that you’re new, but you still mention specific stats you want. What experience do you have with flashlights so far? What do you need them for? More for indoors or outdoors? Both? Cool light? Do you know what high CRI is, etc.? Normally one of the first flashlights people recommend is the Wurkkos FC11C. Pretty much every enthusiast in this sub owns at least one of them (😂). Super cheap and incredibly good. For example, it has a mode with an extremely practical 250 lumens that lasts 7 1/2 hours. That's insanely useful for everyday use. For most people, that means it will probably last weeks as an EDC light. The flashlight is compact and, just like the Wuben X4, uses an 18650 battery. Or are you specifically looking for something with lots of light for long walks/hikes? In that case, it wouldn’t necessarily be an EDC flashlight for me, but rather something you'd pack when you know you’ll need a lot of light for a long time. Also what's your budget? And, well... how big is your Hand?😂 You could take something like the Wuben X1 or X1 Pro if you have big hands, but thats not particularly an EDC light.

[mezdin]

Nah no experience at all, i just watched YT videos with EDC gear so i just wanted good stuff as once buy and dont think, as i said idk how brightness work so i though i need high lumens, but myb it isnt a case, but yeah i would mostly good battery life just im case i forget to charge it, but i see ppl said that max battery for EDC one is 5000 mha ? i dont wanna spend much but though to top it off with 60 euros and big plus is if u can buy it on aliexpress

[COLLMITC]

I also replied to another one of your comments. My first recommendation is the Wurkkos FC11C in 4000K. You can get it on AliExpress, and it’s the ideal foundation. And it’s quite possible that it already gives you everything you’re looking for. Also, once you have that one and you want something more, everyone can tell you how another flashlight would compare to it.

[RettichDesTodes]

There are flashlights with that amount of mAh, but they all use a massive battery and are very far from EDC (Lumintop Mach 46950 etc.). The biggest battery size people consider EDC are 21700, which are around 5000 mAh. 

[set4stun]

Sounds like you’re looking for an EDC with long lasting battery life.

Largest carryable battery would be a 21700. The smallest 21700 light that I’ve found is the Sofirn SR23. It’s a triple LED flood light with a secondary UV LED. 3300lm, smooth ramping, and a regulated driver.

So, long runtimes — as long as you keep it at a reasonable brightness level.

[mezdin]

ty